In recent years there has been an ever increasing trend towards safer and environmentally friendly detergent compositions. This has led to development of alternative complexing agents (builders), which are used instead of predominantly phosphorus based builders. Phosphates can bind calcium and magnesium ions, provide alkalinity, act as threshold agents, and protect alkaline sensitive metals such as aluminum and aluminum containing alloys.
Other corrosion inhibitors include silicates, such as, sodium silicate. For silicates to work, it is necessary to use high concentrations of silicate. As the concentration of silicates increase, so increases the pH. As the pH increases, the corrosivity of the solution toward soft metals also increases, requiring even more concentration of silicates. High concentration of silicates then increase the precipitation of magnesium and calcium salts, forcing the use of very high concentration of materials that will control the precipitation of those salts.
It is an object of the invention to address at least one of the above problems and/or to offer detergent compositions with usage and/or environmental benefits.